Relay



F. SCHULTE April 21, 1953 RELAY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1932Inn;

INVENTOR Frz'zz sa/iw April 21, 1953 F. SCHULTE RELAY Filed July 17,1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 6 1 -11 f! 20 at T1311? 1? 5 f7/ 39 6 I 39, r 1i III! 6,2 l I" 6/ i a .5 3 3;

/0 INVENTOR F'rzfz Jakalfe ATTORNEY April 21, 1953 sc u 2,636,095

RELAY Filed July 17, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR F f .S'ckulie.

aJZ/JM ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 RELAY Fritz Schulte,Philadelphia, Pa., 'assignor to Thomas D. Bowes, Bala-Cynwyd, Pa.

Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,435

(01. zoo-97 Claims.

This invention relates to relays, and particularly to relays withsubstantial immunity to vibrations and accelerative forces.

While the invention has particular relevance to a companion applicationnow in course of preparation relating to an invention directed tocircuits incorporating some of the features of Bowes Patents No.2,465,606, oi March 22, and No. 2,563,577, of August "7, 1951, in theutilization thereof in establishing progr ss we changes in output torquein the drive tomotive devices such as in automobiles, boats, and thelike, the invention herein is of broader scope and incorporatesimprovements in relays per which are of utility in any circuit use inwhich vihra tions or accelerative forces are comprehended being actuallyor potentially incident on a relay.

It is among the objects of the invention to improve the construction ofrelays; to provide a relay with damping so as to render it immune toreaction from extraneous forces other than electrical; to provide arelay spring-biased toward "one setting and electrically bias-abletoward another setting against the spring bias; to vide a relay forcontrolling alternate circuits With a restricted relay motion; toprovide a relay comprising a pivoted oscillatable member with dampingmeans effective on the pivot to preclude motion thereof other than thatwhich predeterininedly desired; to provide a relay having dampingimparting slov. response to electrical energiz'ation or deenergizationand which is inertially damped against aecelerative forces; to provide arelay immune to accelerative forces including angular accelerativeforces; to

provide stops for relays which prevent bouncing to insure maintenance ofthe circuit condition existing at the time of contact with the stops;and to provide other objects and improvements as will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The relays of the type under discussion are those which are potentiallyexposed to accelerative forces of two forms. The first "is a linearforce acting at right, acute or obtuse angles of incidence to ans lyinga plane ol'it'alflilig the axis of rotation of the movable portions ofthe relay. These are absorbed without reaction by insuring that thehills of oscillation or the mew able DbltiO nS Of the relay iS exactlycentered ill the center of mass of the moving relay portions. The secondare what be designated torsional accelerations in which the forces arenominear lSuItfliltS Of complex fdles efietihg angular incidence On thepivotal axis. In the instant invention these latte! forces are absorbedwithout reaction by providing a jack shaft "with a second mass of equalinertia to that of the primary relay moving mass. The important fea tureof the connection between the main and jack shafts is that they arecaused to have opposite directions of rotation. it will be obvious thatwithin this broad concept the connections may be any suitable means thatmay be found most expedient. For instance, one the siinplest is toconstitute the relay mass and the inertial mass as complementalsegmental gears, in which case the two masses could lie generally in thesame plane. Other forms of connections included spur gears, a pair oflevers or arms mounted respectively on the respective shafts, With a pinand slot connection between the free ends of the arms, pulleys and areversed belt may be used.

In securing the same inertia between the two masses, 1. e. the inertiaof the mass of the movable relay centered on the axis of the main shaft,and the inertia of a neutralizing mass, centered on the axis of the jackshaft, it will be understood that in the simplest form, with each massshaped as a segmental gear in mutually complemental relation, the massescan be made identical with a l zl ratio between the rotation mas es;This same principle of course maintains with the other forms of massesand interconnections when a 1:1 ratio is observed. If the masses on eachshaft are of the same shape, diameter, and weight, and rotate oppositelyin this same 1:1 ratio, they obviously will have the same inertia. Spurgears of the same diameter and number of teeth connecting the massesthrough their respective shafts or other 1:1 drive connections representa perfect solution to the accelerativ'e problems, as it makes nodifference in this case how ponderous the masses, how slow or how fastthe acceleration, or if the acceleration is rapidly changing directionor reverses, as in reciprocation.

In departures from the ideal situation described above it is pointed outthat the ideal ratio of 1:1, may be changed to anything else desired,when complemental changes are made in the respective masses. instance,if a gear with teeth is mounted on the main shaft mounting the movablemass of the relay, in mesh with a pinion gear with 10 teeth on the jackshaft, the ratio becomes 16:1. Consequently to neutralize orcounterbalance the given mass of the relay on the main shaft, it is onlynece sary to provide a mass on the jack shaft having one tenth of theinertia of the main mass. While it is possible that this arrangement maynot be quite as effective in all accelerative problems as the recited1:1 mass ratio, as it is conceivable that a long drawn out circularacceleration might react more strongly on the large mass than on thesmaller mass finally resulting in motion of both, there may becompensations attaching to the enhanced damping possible. Thus, if eddycurrent braking is used on the jack shaft mass, it is relativelyineffective at very low speeds of rotation of the latter. However, whenits relative speed is as a factor of 10 to the main mass, this rapidrotation gives greatly enhanced braking. In any case however, as will bepointed out, the spring bias is applied to the main shaft, which may beweak in the 1:1 ratio of masses and rotational speeds, and may be muchstronger in the higher ratios as recited, tending to minimize thereactions from such long continued circular accelerations.

In connection with the brake effects of the organization it is pointedout that this can be regulated or adjusted by increasing or decreasingthe magnetism. However, if the magnetism is increased too much, therelay may be slow to react under certain conditions of use. If themagnetism is decreased in order to gain speed, there may be a bounceeifect at the end of the relay stroke, which may actuate the circuitcontrollers more than once in a form of chatter. It is desirable to soabsorb such impact as to stop the stroke without storing of energy suchas to cause a bounce at such stop.

In carrying out the invention in an illustrative embodiment a first massis mounted on a first shaft with the center of mass coincident with theaxis of the shaft, a second mass is mounted on a second shaft with itscenter of mass coincident with the axis of the second shaft, a drivingconnection is established between the masses of predetermined ratio ofrotation of the masses in opposite directions, the magnitude of saidmasses being predeterminedly such with reference to the ratio ofrelative rotations that the masses have the same inertia, a circuitcontroller is provided for actuation by said first mass as a function ofangular motion thereof, electromagnetic means is provided for exertingtorque on said first mass, and a spring bias effective on said firstmass in opposition to such torque.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents a plan of an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 represents a bottom or reflected plan thereof;

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary horizontal section thereof;

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary vertical section therethrough;

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary side elevation thereof;

Fig. '7 represents a fragmentary side elevation thereof;

Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 represent various views of further modificationsof the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, a support IE) is provided, such as a mountingplate, on which and on such auxiliary support means as may be necessary,indicated at II, a main shaft I2 is journalled with its axis ofoscillation generally normal to the spaced support elements IE3 and Ii.The upper end of the shaft I2 mounts a horizontal arm I3, normal to theaxis of shaft I2,

all)

journalling a roller I4 at its free end. The roller I i in restrictedmotions of shaft I2 bears alternately against microswitch actuatinglevers I5 and I5. Lever I5 is suitably pivoted to a microswitch housingI? and mounts a bearing portion for engaging and inwardly pressing, orreleasing, the outwardly biased switch-actuating plunger I8, as iscommon with micro-switches. Lever I3 is suitably pivoted to amicro-switch housing 23 and mounts a bearing portion for engaging andinwardly pressing, or releasing, the outwardly biased switch-actuatingplunger 2i, as is also common with micro-switches.

It will be understood that micro=switches are used for convenience andwhere snap action is essential, and the invention is not limitedthereto, as the arms I5 and I6 may comprise contactcarrying members,moving relative to other contacts in switch organizations, as shown inFig. 8, for example, to be described. Such microswitches, or otherswitch organizations, may comprise respectively either single pole, ormultipole circuit-controlling devices. Movement of lever arm I5, forinstance, may be from one made circuit through break, to closing anothermade circuit, or simply move to make an unmade circuit as a function oflever movement. The same, of course, is true of lever arm I6.

Shaft I2 is subjected to angular mechanical bias, and preferably this isa controllable bias to establish balance with the electromagnetictorsion forces incident on the shaft I2. As shown in Fig.4, a torsionspring 22 has its inner end connected to the shaft I2, and the outer endis engaged with an adjustable anchor device. Conveniently, this devicemay comprise an arcuate- 1y slotted arm 23 having the anchor extension22 and an actuating handle 25. The slot 26 is generally concentric withthe axis of shaft I2 and engaged by a stud 21, depending from the uppersupport element I I. The arm 23 is frictionally held where set, but canbe manually swung to vary the loading of the torsion spring. The spring22 is adjusted so that the shaft I2 is biased angularly to such point asto cause roller I4 on arm I3 to engage one of the lever arms I5 or I6,and to close (or open) a circuit controlled by such lever arm.

The shaft I2 mounts a sprocket gear 30, which is in constant mesh with asmall pinion gear 3I carried on a jack shaft 32 journalled on thesupport plate I9 and on an extension support arm 33. Jack shaft 32mounts a counterbalancing rotor or mass 34, for rotation with butoppositely to shaft I2, as a geared and illustratively, amplifiedfunction of rotation thereof. The mass 34 is a smaller mass than theprimary mass including the electromagnetic element, to be described, andit is preferred to efiect braking thereof through eddy-current effects,by substantially surrounding the mass 34 with radially disposedpermanent electromagnets 35, suitably mounted beneath support plate Ill.

In order to actuate the relay, the main shaft [2 mounts anelectromagnetically-responsive armature. In the preferred embodimentthis comprises a generally S-shaped armature 35, having short radialinner arm portions 4!) and M merging respectively into generallyparallel oppositely extending perpendicular intermediate arm portions 42and 43, which merge respectively into parallel oppositely extendingouter arm portions A4 and 45 providing external shoulders 46. The

outer arm portions mount the generally arcuate short terminal solenoidcore arms 41 and 4B, the

curvature of which is concentric generally with the axis of the shaftl2. The armature or rotor thus formed is preferably comprised oflaminations, and is symmetrically balanced while having appreciablemass. This is a convenient way to form the armature of plural stampings,although the only essential feature is the oppositely presentingelectromagnetically-responslve generally curved terminal members 41 and48 concentric with the axis of shaft I 2. In other words, the armformation for mounting the terminal members is important but can bechanged if desired.

The armature 39, arm l3, roller 14, constitutes a primary mass having acenter coincident with the axis of shaft 12. For actuating the armatureand thus the shaft I2 against the bias from the torsion spring 22, apair of spaced hollow electromagnetic coils is provided, as at 50 and 5|respectively, coil 50 has a hollow bore 52 to receive core arm 8? of thearmature, and coil 51 has a hollow bore 53 to receive the core arm 48 ofthe armature. It will be seen that energiz'ation of either coil, with agiven potential by a solenoid action pulls the juxtaposed arm 41 or 48into the bore thereof for a proportional distance, against theincreasing bias of the torsion spring 22. Owing to the braking, this isa very slow movement, stopping when the electromagnetically-inducedtorque balances the springapplied or developed torque. While the coilsmay be selectively energized in accordance with control circuitoperation, it is preferred that they be so coupled into a controlcircuit as to be equally and simultaneously energized and deenergized.It will be understood that the control circuit for the coils will eifectinputs of varying amplitude, thus effecting varying pull on the solenoidarms of the rotor, and that in a sluggish response, the latter willassume a position consonant with balance of opposing mechanical andelectrical forces effective on the main shaft l2.

In order to cushion the relay against shock and bouncing back adverseeffects, it is preferred to provide a spring-loaded friction stop ordash pot for engagement by the armature rotor in one adjustableposition. A simple form thereof is shown in Figs. 2, 4, 7, and 11hereof. To a suitable post Gt mounted on the support plates or similardevices It and ll, a spring housing BI is mounted, the axis of which isgenerally tangential of the axis of shaft [2 and mounts the adjustableabutment element 62 in the path of a shoulder or corner 45 of thearmature. Preferably the abutment element is disposed to stop theangular motion of the armature under the bias of the torsion spring.While it is sufiicient generally to provide but one such abutment, itwill be understood that if desired they may be disposed in pairs tolimit each end of the armature stroke. The stops are so arranged as tofrictionally absorb any kinetic energy of impact.

The essential of the relay is an armature movable in one sense inresponse to energization of an electromagnetic device, as opposed to amechanical bias in the other sense. The circuit controllers will beactuated or inert according to the position of arm l3 and roller 14,when balance is achieved. It will be apparent that the result sought canbe secured by other forms of mechanism.

Referring to the form of invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the mainshaft l2 mounts an annu'lar armature it, of the squirrel cage type,

having the embedded copper bars or conductors porting H. The armature issurrounded by a coil organization 12 of the three phase type. The roller(4 on the arm [3 is disposed between contact arms l5 and [6' for theswitch organizations 11' and 2%. These latter are the equivalents of themicro-switches ll and 20 in the earlier figures, except that they arenot of the snap type of the micro-switch. Contact arm 15' is biased tonormally make contact with contact 13, and to break this contact and tomake contact with contact 14 when the roller progressively moves contactarm 15'. Relatedly, contact arm IE is normally made with contact 15,which is broken, and contact is made with contact it under pressure ofroller 14 against arm I6.

As has been noted, the switch organization shown in Fig. 8 can be usedinterchangeably with the micro-switches of the earlier figures, ineither form of the invention.

It will be understood that as is preferred in all cases, the squirrelcage rotor 10, arm 13 and roller l4 and stop arm 18 constitute a primarymass having a center coincident with the axis of shaft 12. In anillustrative exemplification of a 1:1 ratio of masses, as shown in Fig.9, a mass 11, illustratively having the same inertia as that of theprimary mass just mentioned, is centered on a jack or stub shaft 32,suitably journalled on the support. A pair of gears, respectively 30'and 19, both having the same diameter and the same number of teeth, aremounted respectively on main shaft 12 and stub shaft 32, so that mass 11turns oppositely to and has the same inertial effects as the primarymass. (Ewing to the mass distribution and ratio relative rotations, theprimary and secondary masses develop the same inertia and effect mutualcounterbalancing in accordance with what has preceded. In effectingbraking or damping of the unit, although eddy current brake effects canbe resorted to, in accordance with the preceding matter, it may bepreferred to utilize other damping. Thus the mass 11 may be submerged indamping fluid such as silicone oil or the like, disposed in a housing18.

In the fragmentary section shown in Fig. 10, the same organization ofsquirrel cage rotor 10 and main shaft (2 is provided, as in Figs. 8 and9, but the gearing ratio and the mass ratio is as shown in Figs. 2 and3, with the smaller mass 34 damped by eddy current effects in therotation of mass 34 relative to fixed permanent magnets 35.

It will be understood that the torque on the primary mass including thesquirrel cage rotor varies in accordance with the energization of thethree phase windings 12, against the bias from a spring 22, foractuation of the controlled switches in a manner similar to that alreadydescribed.

In all cases it will be observed that the relay has a relatively heavyprimary rotor movable slowly in angular motion as a resultant ofmutually opposing mechanical bias and electromagnetic forces, damped byforces on the counterbalancing mass, and immune to response to bothlinear and curvilinear accelerations, by reason of the oppositelyrotating masses of the same inertia.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A relay comprising a support, first means having a center of mass,means for supporting said first means at its center of mass for movementrelative to said support between limits, second means having a center ofmass, means for supsaid second means at its center of mass for movementrelative to said support, linking means connected between the respectivefirst and second means to cause them to move synchronously in oppositerelative directions, the ratio of masses and relative rates ofsynchronous motion of the first and second means effecting substantiallyequal inertia of the first and second means whereby relative motion of.the respective first and second means due to inertia is mutuallycancelled to nullify reactions. due to accelerative forces incident onsaid relative to said support between limits on an axis substantiallycoincident with the center of said mass, a second mass, means mountingsaid second mass for oscillation relative to said support on an axissubstantially coincident with the center of said second mass, meanslinking the masses for synchronous opposite oscillations, the ratio ofangular motions of the masses and the masses being so integrated thatboth masses have substantially the same inertia and are mutuallycancelling in reactions to accelerative forces incident on the support,electromagnetic means for imposing angular torque on one of said masses,and a circuit controller operable as a function of angular position ofone of said means.

3. A relay as recited in claim 2, and damping means associatedoperatively with one of said masses.

4. A relay as recited in claim 2, and eddycurrent braking damping meansassociated with one of said masses.

5. A relay as recited in claim 2, and damping fluid operative on one ofsaid masses. 6. A relay as recited in claim 2, in which the said firstand second masses are substantially identical in weight and in which theratio of synchronous movement thereof is substantially 1:1.

'7. A relay as recited in claim 2, in which said first and second massesare unequal in weight and in which the ratio of synchronous movement isother than 1:1.

8. A relay as recited in claim 2, in which one of said masses at leastin part constitutes an electromagnetic armature.

9. A relay as recited in claim 2 in which mechanical bias means isprovided opposing the torque applied by said electromagnetic means.

10. A relay as recited in claim 2, and a resilient friction stop elementforming one of said limits to absorb without rebound impacts of saidfirst mass.

11. A relay comprising a support, a main shaft journalled on thesupport, an arm mounted on the shaft generally normal thereto, a firstand a second circuit-controller mounted on the sup- ,port in spacedrelation on opposite sides of said arm, means on the arm for actuatingthe respective circuit-controllers with movements of the shaft and armin the proper appropriate sense, an electromagnetically-responsive rotormounted on said shaft, coil means mounted on the support for actuatingthe rotor, and means biasing the shaft and arm toward onecircuit-controller actuation.

12. A relay comprising a support, a main shaft journalled on thesupport, an arm mounted on the shaft generally normal thereto, a firstand a second circuit-controller mounted on the support in spacedrelation on opposite sides of said arm,

means on the arm for actuating the respective circuit-controllers withmovements of the shaft and arm in the proper appropriate sense,complemental electromagnetic means on the shaft and support respectivelywhich when energized moves the shaft and arm toward onecircuit-controller, and means biasing the shaft and arm toward the othercircuit-controller.

13. A relay as recited in claim 12 in which the complementalelectromagnetic means comprises a generally e shaped armature havingfree-ended oppositely presenting generally arcuate legs, and a spacedpair of hollow coils juxtaposed to said free ends.

14. A relay as recited in claim 12 in which the complementalelectromagnetic means comprises a squirrel cage rotor and a three-phasecoil winding surrounding said rotor.

15. A relay comprising a support, a main shaft journalled on thesupport, an arm mounted on the shaft generally normal thereto, a firstand a second circuit-controller mounted on the support in spacedrelation on opposite sides of said arm, means on the arm for actuatingthe respective circuit-controllers with movements of the shaft and armin the proper appropriate sense, comp mental electromagnetic means onthe shaft and support respectively which when energized moves the shaftand arm toward one circuit-controller, means biasing the shaft and armtoward the other circuit-controller, and stop means limiting the angularmotion of the shaft in response to the bias.

16. A relay comprising a support, a main shaft journalled on thesupport, an arm mounted on the shaft generally normal thereto, a firstand a second circuit-controller mounted on the support in spacedrelation on opposite sides of said arm, means on the arm for actuatingthe respective circuit-controllers with movements of the shaft and armin the proper appropriate sense, complemental electromagnetic means onthe shaft and support respectively which when energized moves the shaftand arm toward one circuit-controller, means biasing the shaft and armtoward the other circuit-controller, stop means limiting the angularmotion of the shaft in response to the bias, a jack shaft, a rotor massmounted on the jack shaft, and gearing between the main and jack shaftsto actuate the rotor mass as a function of angular motion on said mainshaft.

1'7. A relay comprising a support, a main shaft journalled on thesupport, an arm mounted on the shaft generally normal thereto, a firstand a second circuit-controller mounted on the support in spacedrelation on opposite sides of said arm, means on the arm for actuatingthe respective circuit-controllers with movements of the shaft and armin the proper appropriate sense, complemental electromagnetic means onthe shaft and support respectively which when energized moves the shaftand arm toward one circuit-controller, means biasing the shaft and armtoward the other circuit-controller, stop means limiting the angularmotion of the shaft in response to the bias, a jack shaft, a rotor massmounted on the jack shaft, gearing between the main and jack shafts toactuate the rotor mass as a function of angular motion on said mainshaft, and magnetic means juxtaposed to said rotor mass to damp therotations thereof by eddy current effects.

18. A relay comprising a support, circuit controlling means mounted forpivotal oscillation on establish similar inertia as functions of massand respective rotative speeds.

19. A relay as recited in claim 18 and damping means on at least one ofthe connected means.

20. A relay as recited in claim 18 with shock absorbing means forming atleast one limit of oscillation of one of said connected means.

FRITZ SCHULTE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NameDate Tatum Ma 11, 1915 Number

